Most conventional down hole tools used in the drilling and completion of bore holes in the earth such as drill bits, underreamers, section mills and casing cutters have cutters, cutting discs, inserts or cutting structures of hardened materials placed in the body of the tools to enhance cutting ability and lengthen drilling or cutting wear time. However, many cutting inserts such as PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) cutters become loose, damaged or lost due to the fact that typical braze material used to retain the cutters does not bond well with the diamond or other hardened cutting materials and is only placed in the void between the cutter pocket diameter and the outside diameter of the cutters. Thus, the tool becomes ineffective and the tool life is shortened. The present invention is an improvement to said tools where grooves or recesses are cut into each cutter pocket just above or partially above the top level of the cutter. When the cutter is placed in position, braze material is then heated and applied in a liquid state to the groove and top of the cutter whereupon the braze material fills the grooves and then pools or overlaps onto the top of the cutters whereupon the braze material quickly cools and hardens thereby enhancing retention of the cutters similar to a snap ring retention device but more secure. In prior art the braze material only filled the void between the cutters and the pockets with no grooves or recesses. The present invention therefore allows enhanced cutter retention and extended drilling or boring time of drill bits, underreamers, section mills hole openers, casing cutters or other down hole tools used in bore hole drilling and completion operations. This same enhanced cutter retention is described in the present Inventors' patent application titled Drill bit with replaceable blade members, patent application Ser. No. 12/456,234, filed Jun. 11, 2009, wherefore a Terminal Disclosure has been filed with said provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/398,370 filed Jun. 24, 2010 by Alan L. Nackerud.